A show-cause order must be served first on controversial church leader Apollo Quiboloy before the upper chamber can issue a contempt order against him, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said Tuesday.

Citing a Supreme Court decision, Zubiri said the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality must exhaust “all legal avenues, in other words, due process.”

“So, my request to Senator Risa [Hontiveros], all she has to do is come up with another committee hearing really quickly, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, or Monday, to give a show cause order,” he told reporters in an ambush interview.

“Because it was stated in the Supreme Court ruling. I don't want to be in violation of the Supreme Court ruling on the Pharmally issue,” he added.

To recall, the High Court last year declared the order of arrest and contempt case against Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executive Linconn Ong and former presidential adviser Michael Yang a violation of their rights to due process.

Zubiri said a show cause order from the Senate panel on Quiboloy would be the final chance for the latter to attend the Senate inquiry without an arrest warrant.

“There must be a show cause order. So, if a show cause order was issued by Senator Risa and [Quiboloy’s] explanation was still satisfactory, or he still would not want to attend, then it is ministerial on the part of the Senate to release a warrant of arrest,” he said.

The Senate chief made the remarks a day after Senator Robin Padilla formally sought their colleagues’ consideration for Quiboloy amid the impending contempt order against the latter by a Senate panel.

Citing the embattled church leader’s “contributions” to the fight against insurgency in the country, Padilla said Quiboloy must be given the said privilege.

“My only request for Pastor Apollo Quiboloy is simply to give him, not in exchange, but in acknowledgment, the appropriate treatment for the service he has provided to our country,” he said.

Quiboloy, who is accused of committing rape of members of his congregation, including minors, previously admitted he was in hiding due to alleged threats to his life.

Today, 12 March (Tuesday) was the supposed end of the 10-day period for Padilla to gather eight votes among the panel’s members to be successful in his bid to block the contempt order against Quiboloy.

Hontiveros, who is spearheading the Senate inquiry into the alleged crimes of Quiboloy, has yet to make a statement regarding the issue.